A perfectly ordinary private bus, one of many that ply the Kozhikode–Kolathur route every day, on Thursday became a vehicle of compassion.
The two buses carried banners announcing that the day’s collections would go to the treatment of M.M. Shibu. Mr. Shibu, a labourer, had a fall while carrying cement bags eight years ago, and broke his spine. He has since been unable to use the lower part pf his body. The owner of the bus service, U.K. Faisal, told The Hindu , “Doctors say Shibu can regain some mobility if a particular line of treatment is followed and we are raising funds for this.”
Mr. Faisal and his employees hope to help with his treatment, and to help him build a house and take care care of his wife, mother and school-going daughter.
Mr. Faisal contributed the usual gross earnings from the 20 trips a day his two buses make, around ₹20,000. The six crew members of the buses also joined in, and are contributing their day’s salary as well. Inspired by this, many passengers also contributed to the cause: for instance, an elderly woman who bought a ₹20 ticket, left the ₹80 balance with the conductor as her contribution, “We hope to raise ₹50,000 from the two buses today,” Mr. Faisal said. By lunch time, the two conductors had collected ₹22,000, more than half of which were contributions from passengers.
The drive found support from outside, from a Facebook group called Malabar Riders, who had helped with a similar drive a year ago. “Last year, we collaborated with workers of 14 buses that operated on the Kuttiadi-Kzohikode route to raise funds for the kidney transplant of young woman, Vishnu Priya,” said Vaishakh, a member of the group. A few months ago, Mr. Faisal and his two buses had raised ₹2.5 lakh for the brain surgery of Ms. Rejisha of Pooladikkunnu, a Kozhikode suburb.
What’s even more remarkable is that none of the do-gooders — Mr. Fasial, his crew, the passengers, or the Malabar Riders — have any connection with Mr. Shibu. They just wanted to help him.
